Chinese hackers didn’t force ASIO HQ rebuild

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus: “There have been media reports that the ASIO building has been slow in its construction for some reason (in relation to information that it has had to be redesigned) ... All of those allegations are untrue.” Photo: Andrew Meares

John Kerin and Gemma Daley

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus denied the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation’s new $630 million headquarters went through an expensive rebuild because its plans were stolen by Chinese hackers.

“There have been media reports that the ASIO building has been slow in its construction for some reason (in relation to information that it has had to be redesigned),” he said on Tuesday. “All of those allegations are untrue.”

Mr Dreyfus said the new building would be occupied in the second half of this year and it was a secure state-of-the-art facility.

He maintained he would not be drawn on operational matters in relation to the allegations raised by a Four Corners program on Monday night that reported blueprints of the spy agency’s new headquarters were stolen.